Principal's Blog 31 January 2022

From the Principal

All students have returned and there was a great deal of excitement in the school. There was a particularly larger number of new students throughout the school so we are putting a good deal of effort into induction and ensuring that buddy/mentors are looking after them.

The new Teaching and Learning Plan 2022-202 has been launched and has been made available to the broader community on the school’s website. The professional learning programme for staff and major initiatives reference the plan so that the document informs the way we do things into the future.

VCE results fgor 2021 were outstanding with 41% of students attaining an ATAR over 90 (9-10%) state average and a Median ATAR of 87 which places 50% of the 2021 cohort in the top 13% of the state.

New Staff 2022


Erin BanisterEast Doncaster Secondary CollegeLibrarian
Hilary Barker
Dromana Secondary College
English & Humanities
Samantha Brown
Yarraville West PS
Year 1 Teacher
Chantelle Cayzer
OEG
OEG Outdoor Education Organiser
Dietrich Cheung
St Timothy's Anglican Church, Bulleen
Curate Chaplaincy
Simon Corkeron
MLC
Drama & ESTEAM
Pierre Francois
French Bilingual Association
French, EAL & Humanities
Christine Gilliland
Carey Baptist Grammar
Learning Support Teacher JS
Simon Grant
Pinewood PS
Year 6 Teacher
Laura Hogan
Coburg High School
Health, PE & Science
Amanda Hourigan
Whitefriars College
Legal Studies & Humanities
Angela Jeffrey
Marymount College Burleigh Heads, QLD
School Psychologist
Nick Kearney
Salesian College, Chadstone
Health, PE & Mathematics
Steve Kenna
Birmingham PS
Year 5 Teacher
Tess Lawrence
Deakin University

Year 6 Teacher

Fiona McDonald
Kibreda College
English
Nick McNiece
Racing.com
Grounds Assistant
Zoe Petropoulos
Monash University
Learning Assistant JS
Regan Pingel-Kane
Slattery Australia
Learning Assistant JS
Anita Poupa
Monash University
Science Lab Technician
Emily Purdey
Swinburne Children's Centre
Learning Assistant JS
Lauren Redlich
Burwood Heights PS
Year 3 Teacher
Georgia Runting
Monash University
Year 4 Teacher
Erin Silfo
Berwick College
Legal Studies & Humanities
Dani Thomas
Kalinda PS
Year 6 Teacher
Matthew Williams
Beverley Hills PS
Year 2 Teacher
Jessica Zoch
Roxburgh College
Humanities & Drama


There have been lots of projects over the holiday break to improve facilities at Yarra. These include:

• The renovated ADT Building to provide new Junior School Classrooms and office space for: Art, Music, French and RE

• An additional Year 6 Classroom in the Upper Primary Building

• A new play area in the Junior School

• Two additional Year 7 Classrooms, offices and locker space in the old ADT Building

• New offices for the additional Year Level Coordinators in Years 8,10 and 11 to cater for larger numbers of students

• Resurfacing of the tennis and netball courts

• Planning begun for the additional ELC learning Space

The old Junior Primary Building has been demolished and our Junior School students have been redeployed around the Junior School including in an additional Year 6 classroom constructed in the Upper Primary Building.

Whilst the opening of the school year has gone very smoothly, the mid to long term disruptions of COVID19 into its third year remain to be seen. Protective measures are in place and we hope for an uninterrupted Term ahead.

Dr Mark Merry


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